Other than the odd couple of minutes here and there, as a team, a collective, we were poor and found wanting in so many areas. Which I can't keep excusing because it's also quite easy to see that we do indeed have some very good players here who - in my opinion - could and probably should be playing for a team further up the division. Thing is, I think we've a fair amount of them. And so I can't help but look towards the manager and his decisions when I'm looking for answers. * 4-4-2 is not the answer. Certainly not away from home where our full backs are overrun at will. At Oakwell, it's usually the left hand side that's targeted. It doesn't help having a blatant central midfielder playing on the wing ahead of them, especially one whose defensive abilities are at best average. * The lack of genuine service to COG and Pedersen is appalling. One of them wastes valuable energy doing defensive work/closing down. The other spends 90% of each game on the left touchline. In short, both are rarely in the box. Rarer still, do I see them both in there at the same time. Whenever I have done, we've scored or come close to doing so. The Huddersfield victory springs to mind. Both played closer to each other, both further forward and central. * Our shape is lopsided. On occasions yesterday, we had no fewer than five of our players on the left flank. COG, Mellis, Pedersen, TK and Perkins. Which leaves us exposed both centrally and wide right. Luckily, we got away with it against Wednesday, because they're ****. But better sides will - and have already - punish us badly. * The one pleasing thing for me to come out of this 4-4-2 system is the Paddy/Wisey combination down that right hand side. We now have genuine pace and creativity on at least one flank. * The fact we now have a man mountain of a defender to call upon has made no positive difference when coming up against more direct opponents. Both last week against Boro, and yesterday against Wednesday, their constant launching of balls into our box eventually led to three goals. I'm no defensive coach, but there looks to be big communication issues in our defence, or awful concentration levels. Perhaps both. They don't defend as a unit. It's every man for themselves. Which is why the otherwise accomplished Cranie will always get criticism from me because he's got this silly tendency to go trying to do the jobs of his full backs. He did it last week, trying to do O'Brien's job and we conceded in the box as a result. And he did it yesterday trying to do TK's job, but thankfully the big lad (Nuhiu?) put his great chance wide from 8 yards out. I don't rate M'Voto. I'm sorry, but I can't see that his positives outweigh the many negatives. One must hope he can improve etc, over time (as many do), but for me he's no better than Hassell at centre half. And before you think I'm joking, just take note of how many goals we've conceded this season (30). Bobby may have his weaknesses, but we've never been like a sieve at the back with him in it. And at the moment, only Big John's aerial prowess is a positive. But, Bobby wins more headers than any defender we've got on the books. We have played 13 league games now, a third of the season nearly gone, and not one clean sheet. Only fair in my mind that our best/most experienced defender gets his chance now. * Yesterday the manager again got his substitutions badly wrong. No way in a million years did Jennings deserve to even be on the bench, let alone be the one to replace Mellis (btw, we again surrendered midfield once Jacob departed, and that despite him having a poor game, says a lot). I hate to think how badly done to Cywka must be feeling. The lads impact off the bench is unquestionable. He'd have been ideal if indeed we felt we needed to withdraw Mellis. And then Jim O'Brien must wonder what the ****. He was one of our better players last week, and yet he too is ignored in favour of Jennings, a lad who has yet to show anything to suggest he's even a footballer, let alone a promising one. And don't get me started on Noble-Lazarus. Back in room 101 I assume? Jesus wept. He's the most criminally underused footballer we've had in my lifetime. And yet Jennings is on the bench now ahead of him.. * Jennings is only 20 (like Reuben) and has no experience at this level. The standard he was playing in over in Germany was little better than Athersley Rec etc. Yes he had a big reputation, and yes he could potentially turn out to be a special player for us. But based on my own - albeit limited - knowledge of what it takes to be a pretty decent young Championship midfielder, I am astounded at how unfit the lad appears to be. No exaggeration, he was blowing out of his arse after five minutes yesterday. I expected that of Paddy. But a young lad with four months training in him? And whether it's a lack of games, lack of confidence, or lack of professionalism, the scary thing is the lack of talent shown. It's certainly not a lack of money affecting him.. I'm going to be patient with him, give him a chance. But I can't pretend I wasn't pissed off yesterday when I saw him come on instead of more deserving players. The fact he then had a 'Kevin Donovan' only compounded my anger. I had a good argument about it at the game with Dyson who is clearly taking Dale on as his new project. I hope it works (as it did with Daggers and Kelvin) but this time lasts longer than 3 months or so. Good luck with, pal. Wednesday were gash. But of the two sides on show yesterday, their tactics/manager won out in the end. Were it not for Butland in goal (my man of the match) we'd have lost another game that for 45 minutes we were comfy in. And it's no coincidence that our game falls apart once Flitcroft makes alterations on 60 minutes. He called O'Grady "unplayable" again. He wasn't at all. In fact, that's the worst I've seen COG play. But mainly because we played into Wednesday's hands and just clogged it up to his head for the last 30 minutes or so. Bad tactics. And PLEASE someone stop letting Kennedy kick it from left back. In fact, stop him taking set pieces too. It's getting to the point where I'm beginning to think Kennedy has some dirt on Flicker because **** me rigid that lad might be useful to us, and I do rate him as a squad player, but ******* playmaker extraordinaire he is not. Hassell would be a better left back. And for a fact he'd be a better set piece taker. We've got a decent team, and they look better in my opinion in a 3-5-2 system. -------------------------Butland---------------------------- -----------Cranie--------Hassell-------Kennedy Wiseman-----------Fox--------Perkins--------------Noble-Lazarus ------------------------McCourt----------------------------- ---------------Pedersen--------O'Grady---------------------- Could quite happily include Mellis in either of the three central positions, and Nyatanga for TK once fit (if ever). I'll end for now by admitting that yesterday knocked out of me any lingering ambition/optimism I had for this season. I honestly thought we'd go on a run. If we had beaten them yesterday I'd be convinced of it. Momentum is key. But yes. That display from 60 minutes onwards was ******* gash. And alarmingly, it's the same thing(s) every week at Oakwell especially.
I agree with most, if not all of that Whitey. After the game I said that for the first time this season I am genuinely concerned about our survival chances and Flickers ability as a championship manager. I'm getting sick of seeing us surrender to teams due to tactics, fitness, confidence or whatever it is that is turning this season into a complete washout. It's only October and already I'm looking for three worse teams or some luck from the gods of administration to save us.
Disagree on so many points. Not enough service, are you sure??????????? Pedersen was so close to quite a few crosses yesterday. Perkins and McCourt put a few crosses in and they didn't connect. On to O'Grady, the service to hims dictated by him. He naturally drifts on to the left and demands the ball played up the line to him. Mellis can play on the left hand side and does very well. Not sure if you saw the exellent performance by Jacob again Reading this season and also he played well again the boro. Last season a performance against Wolves stands out when he played on the left and gave his best performance i can remember for the Reds.
Only over run on left when Mellis puts fook all into the game !! He was a passenger all the time he were on the pitch.
I've probably seen Mellis play well on the left once. And Ive seen Flitcroft pointing and waving for O'Grady to go wide several times. When he played against us (and scored) he didn't go wide left.
If we're going to persist with 4-4-2 Then I wouldn't mind seeing either RNL or Cywka getting a run of games on the left. Also, I'd like to see Digby being involved more. Unfortunately, we seem persistently to have individuals on the long term injury list and, at this moment in time, this includes Digby & Nyatanga. As a club we appear incapable of providing a fully fit squad for the manager.
Re: If we're going to persist with 4-4-2 Digbys not injured BigLil. He played at Carrington a couple of weeks ago and trains with the u21 squad on a youtube video. There hopeful Nyatanga will get a nother game in next week and be in contention for the Ipswich game.
Well said that man! My thoughts exactly. RNL and Cwyka have at least a dozen goals in them and believe it or not, goals win games!! Take your point about the McCourt Wiseman combination but thought our best spell this season was when McCourt played more centrally against Reading and was constantly involved.
Re: If we're going to persist with 4-4-2 Then it's down to personal opinion on who is getting selected which is the manager's decision and quite rightly so. However, I believe a fully fit Digby would provide a better option in central midfield over any of our other players. None of whom have been capable of either scoring themselves this season, or creating a goalscoring opportunity for a team mate.
I never slated him Phil. I said he had a poor game but that once he was again withdrawn, we as a team also withdrew and we surrendered, yet again. That was praising Mellis if anything. Personally, I'd have brought O'Brien on for Perkins and moved Mellis central and gone for it.
Re: If we're going to persist with 4-4-2 I'm a fan of Digby. Massive talent but i think he would be best suited to a 4231/433 system which would suit other players too, apart from O'grady.
People take this place far too seriously. It's somewhere for us to come and post our views on the game/performances. If you think people are being too negative, and you don't agree with it, then be positive, if that's how you feel. But don't get the titty lip on. I value each and everyone's opinions on here. Yours included.
I'd play Paddy centrally. But he and Wisey did combine brilliantly yesterday. Although to be fair, their left back (Reda Johnson was it?) was useless.